[Aortic Intramural Hematoma: a Challenging Diagnosis]

A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our institution for acute abdominal pain. She had a history of atrial fibrillation, pacemaker implantation and diastolic heart failure. At time of admission, she was under oral anticoagulation therapy with apixaban.

The X-ray of the chest showed a reduction in transparency surrounding the calcification of the aortic arch. CT angiography revealed evidence of an intramural hematoma of the aorta ranging from the left subclavian artery to the inferior mesenteric artery with presence of localized ulcer-like projections.

Since the IMH was limited to the descending aorta, we first chose a conservative strategy with tight blood pressure control. Unfortunately, the patients' clinical symptoms did not improve. Her pain persisted despite medical treatment. After joint discussion with surgery and radiology, an endovascular aortic repair was successfully performed. The patient recovered well and could be discharged from the hospital.

Acute aortic syndrome describes a life-threatening condition, including acute aortic dissection, intramural hematoma, and penetrating atherosclerotic aortic ulcer. Rapid and correct diagnosis is imperative for adequate management. Once the definitive diagnosis of an aortic syndrome is made, prompt and appropriate therapeutic interventions should be undertaken. Urgent surgery for acute aortic syndromes involving the ascending aorta (Stanford Type A) and medical therapy alone for uncomplicated cases involving the descending aorta (Stanford Type B) are typically recommended. In complicated Stanford Type B situations, endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) should be considered.